Process of steaming textiles



E& %342. H LANGEN 2297 230 ?ROCESS OF STEAMING TEXTILES. I

Filed Feb. 17, 1939 /n ventor':

' Patented Sept. 1942 UNITED STATE s- PATENT 'OFFICE e rocess OF STEAMING -rEx'rmEs Hans Lanlen, Gladbach-Bheydt, Germany; vest'ed in the Alien Property Custodian 'A plication' February 17, 1939, Serial No. 256.882'

` ?In-Germany October 8, 1936 1 claim.

The moistening of textiles was hitherto effected by steaming or by moistening with atomized water. I

It is moreover known to treattextiies in a A chamber or in a steaming room with a mixture of steam and of some other treatment agent, such as water or an impregnating medium, to render them waterproof. i

It is found generally as disadvantageous that a large'percentage of the moisture imparted to the' material by the steaming evaporates when the treated material is removed from the heated steam room and comes into contact with the ordinary atmospheric temperature and with air humidity. This fact is generally taken into consideration by adding to the material in the steaming box more moisture than it should subseq'uently have. This necessitates a relatively long steaming period and is also open to other objections. a W

If for a certain material, say cotton yam, a

moisture content of !it 2% is desired, it is necessary to add considerably more moisture in .order to compensate by previous over-moistening for at least a portion of the evaporation. This entails increased expense by too much steam consumption and by too long steaming period, that is loss of time and too'small production. Owing to the long steaming period the material often assumes a darker shade than 'that desired. 'The over-moistening, which' must be carried out in 4 view of the evaporation, easily results in the yarns it is only possible to subject them to fur-' ther treatment after the material has 'been stored for a relatively long time and the moisture has become uniformly distributed by gradually penetrating therein.

Yam moistening apparatus' are known in which the yarns are moistened when being placed in the boxes. In 'this instance. however, the material is always moistened only on one side so that the absorption of moisture is absolutely irregular. It consequently results in the formation of stripes and spots on the yam which show exactly how far the moisture has penetrated.

Another result of the local over-moistening caused by the irregularity is the frequent formation of mildew which cannot be excluded even by using preservatives in the moistening water. as the eiiiciency of all preservatives is limited.

The process according to the invention avoids the objections to the methods of treatment which have hitherto become known, in that a moistening agent and a preservative are supplied -to the textile material with the steam. The addition of a moistening agent of a 'preservative was hitherto unknown in steaming. consequently, several points have to be considered which is not necessary when moistening with water, particularly the solution of chemicals must be stable under heat and combine with the* steam. It has been found that a solution of Turkey-red oil and formalin is suitable.

e According to another feature of the invention the effect both of the moistening agent and also 'of the preservative is considerably increased by pre-heating these agents to a temperature approaching their boiling points, according to their. nature.

It is also advisable to add glycerine to the treating agent. The glycerine has the efrect that the moisture absorbed by the textile material is liound on the flbres so that, when the material is removed from the treatment chamber, the

evaporation which takes place is considerably less than in the known processes.

A steaming apparatus for carryingout the invention is illustrated diagrammatically in vertical longitudinal section in the only figure of the accompanying drawing.

The yam strips are placed on a plate a con- I structed as a balance. Hereuponthe steaming chamber b is closed and placed under steam. A small tube d is fltted in a steam injection tube c and sucks liquid out of a tank e standing beside the steaming chamber, this liquid being atomized on leaving the tube Thus, a mixture of steam .and atomized liquid is iniected into the steaming chamber.

. The liquid consists of a chemical combination of different treating agents whose use is new in the steaming 'of textiles. It contains flrstly a moistening agent such a Turkey red oil, which considerably accelerates the penetrationof the 4 moisture into the material and also binds the moisture on the material, so that it adheres thereto for a longer time avoiding evaporation.

Thus, the material need not be moistened excessively because, owing to the action of the moistening agent contained in the steam a reduction -of moisture has scarcely to be taken into consideration. consequently, this means both a saving in steam and also a saving in time and consequently a more profitable utilization of the steaming apparatus.

The liquid also contains chemicals which prevent to a considerable extent the formation of mildew and spores, for example formalin, so that if the material is stored for a. long period there is practically no danger of its becomng musty. As an over-moistening is not necessary, as has been mentioned above, it is possible in almost all instances to keep within those limits of moisture within which the preservative is still eifective.

The moisture feed can be regulated by a. weight f slidable on the beam g of the balance; When the desired degree of moisture is attained the state of equilibrium is established, the plate a of the balance descends and actuates by an electric contact h a bell or light signal for shutting off the steam. The steam can also be shut ofi automatically by the balance.

The treatng liquid may be pre-heated by means of a heating coil i arranged in or around the'tank e.

The glycerine serving for more strongly binding the absorbed liquid on to the flbres is preferably added to the treatment liquid in the tank e.

As compared with the known steaming apparatus the invention presents the advantage that, owing to the Shortened steaming process, the output is greater, the yarns do not subsequently darken and time and steam are saved. Furthermore, the material is protected against decrease of moisture and formation of spores.

As compared with the moistening process with yam moistening apparatus Operating with water atomization, the invention possesses the advantages of uniform moistening, the possibility of immediately working and the preserving treatment of the textile material and its multifarious application for almost all textile materials which have to be moistened.

I claim:

A process for steaming textile material with a mixture of steam and a treating liquid, consisting in preheating close to its boiling point a treating liquid consisting of formalin, Turkey red oil, and glycerine, introduc'ng the preheated treating liquid into a steam current and feeding to the textile material the steam containing l the treating liquid.

HANS LANGEN. 

